Issue 1161 – Which Door? – May 25, 2023

A couple of ten-dollar words to start the morning off. Which is better, orthodoxy (correct thinking and beliefs) or orthopraxy (right living)? Even if we don’t use fancy words, it is a debate I run into often in the church. Which one should we choose?
Some will say they do not need theology; they just need to live well (heart knowledge). Others will concentrate more on the intellectual side of things (head knowledge).
To some degree, our position is dependent upon our personality. Some people are more intellectual in their approach to life, while others emphasize the experiences of living.
The truth is that we need both to function well as Christians. All of us should strive (with the guidance of Holy Spirit) to live a life worthy of the name Christian. We must all be moving increasingly to orthopraxy.
Anyone has is a Christian has enough knowledge to share their faith with someone who doesn’t know. It won’t answer all the questions but it is a starting point.
At the same time, our love for Christ and desire to be like Him should drive us to want to know Him better. We want to know more, and that should move us towards orthodoxy.
No Christian wants to misrepresent God, and the better we know Him, the less likely we are to do that.
Becoming a Christian isn’t the end game of our faith walk. It is the entry point to an eternal journey to becoming more like our Lord. As our hearts are transformed, old ways are left behind, and new courses are implemented. It isn’t a straight linear path; we will fall back into old patterns and need to repent and move forward. If we examine our hearts and see no transformation, we must seriously reexamine our commitment to Christ. No true believer is left unchanged.
At the same time, we should look back at our knowledge of God, His Word and our understanding. There should be a change there. Our understanding of God should be ever-increasing. Misconceptions should be stripped away and replaced with more profound understanding.
We are commanded to grow in both areas.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Mark 12:28-32
It isn’t orthodoxy or orthopraxy. That’s a false dichotomy. We need both. Right living and right belief are inseparable. If you think that one is more important than the other, you are walking unbalanced.
We all know people who are loving but know virtually nothing of God and others who have great theology but cold hearts. They are like one-faced coins, perhaps of some value but not what they should be.
Together, let’s strive to know our God better and live lives that reflect that knowledge.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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